Dylan Hefflinger
PBR Senior Writer and Northwest scout

COLUMBUS – New Middletown Springfield rallied from a 6-2 deficit to beat Tinora 13-7 and move one win away from the school's first state championship in baseball. 

The No. 17 Tigers left seven runners on base in the first three innings before putting up a five-spot in the bottom of the fourth to take a 7-6 lead and knocking out Tinora starting pitcher Clay Pittman. 

Lead-off hitter Eoghan Bees ripped a double to left-center field to open the fourth and Ryan Kohler moved Bees to third with a single up the middle. After an errant pick-off throw by the catcher plated Bees, Cody Pitzo hit a RBI double to right. After an out, Hunter Snyder had an RBI single and Dalton Donachie and Dom Gentsy added to the Tinora misery with singles. 

“I didn't think I could ever be more proud of a group of kids,” New Middletown Springfield coach Matt Weymer said. “(It's) 6-2 in the state semifinal and we just give up a big inning. We couldn't hit the ball better if you put it on a tee for us. That's a credit to them. They were patient, they got a pitch they could drive and when they got it they didn't miss.” 

The Tigers added to the lead with two runs in the fifth with Kohler and Pitzo each scoring again. Kohler reached on a fielder's choice and eventually came home on a Tinora error, one of five in the game by the Rams. A Snyder sac fly brought in Pitzo. 

“They hit the ball well today,” Tinora coach Brent Renollet said. “When you give them extra outs that helps their confidence and it's easier to swing.”

Tinora chipped away at the lead with a run in the sixth, but a 1-6-3 double play got the Tigers out of a potential problem. Sophomore lead-off hitter E.J. Kissel walked and moved up on a Reid Renollet groundout. Pittman moved Kissel to third on a single to left before Derek Drewes scored Kissel with a single up the middle. But the DP ended the threat.

“I thought we had to score double digits to win,” said Tinora's head coach, whose team scored at least 11 runs in each of five tournament games to make it to state without the use of its top two pitchers (Reid and Brevin Renollet) who were unable to throw due to arm problems. 

The Tigers put the game out of reach with four in the sixth. Jojo Caraballo hit his first double of the season to bring in the first run of the inning and, after Bees (pictured) had an infield single, Caraballo came home on a passed ball. A Kohler triple plated Bees and Pitzo followed with a run-scoring single, the third run of the game for Kohler, a sophomore center fielder. 
 

James Hillyer (pictured), a junior who did not play last season, touched 85 in three innings of three-hit relief, allowing one run with two strikeouts.

Early on Tinora took a 6-2 lead with a five run third inning of the Tigers starter Donachie. Logan Dickerson ledoff with a double, Kissel walk and Reid Renollet moved the two up on a sacrifice bunt. Pittman was intentionally walked. Drewes and Brevin Renollet had back-to-back walks with the bases loaded. Dakota Stark had an RBI single to score Pittman. Senior Dylan Rumball hit a sacrifice fly to score Drewes (pictured), with Brevin Renollet scoring all the way from second on an overthrow. 
 

Kohler had two singles, a double and triple to lead a 16-hit attack for New Middletown Springfield, a state runner-up two years ago in Matt Weymer's first year as head coach. The Tigers will play Newark Catholic on Sunday at noon in the state finals.